The term “haptic” refers to touch or tactile sensation, and the term “haptic feedback system” refers to a system configured to provide a selective tactile feedback sensation (such as a vibration or other physical sensation, etc.) at a contact location of a surface in response to contact of a user at that location.
Such haptic feedback systems often include one or more actuators (such as piezoelectric transducers, electromechanical devices, and/or other vibration inducing devices) and drive electronics coupled to the one or more actuators cause the actuators to induce a selected vibratory response into the surface to which they are attached, thereby providing a tactile sensation to a user.
Conventional haptic effects in devices such as mobile phones or tablet computers include vibratory sensations or pulsing sensation.
As recognized by the present inventors, what is needed is a new class of haptic effect to provide an additional type of haptic effect to a user.